Janet Yellen was forced to fend off new questions about the Federal Reserve’s independence yesterday sparked by donations from a Fed governor to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

美联储(Fed)主席珍妮特•耶伦(Janet Yellen)昨日被迫挡开有关美联储独立性的最新质疑，这件事的导火线是美联储一位理事向希拉里•克林顿(Hillary Clinton)的总统竞选活动捐款。

The Fed chair was challenged by Scott Garrett, a Republican congressman from New Jersey, over donations that Fed governor Lael Brainard has made to the Clinton campaign and over unconfirmed media reports that Ms Brainard was a contender for a senior job in a potential Clinton administration.

来自新泽西州的共和党众议员斯科特•加勒特(Scott Garrett)向耶伦发起挑战，焦点是美联储理事莱尔•布雷纳德(Lael Brainard)向希拉里竞选活动捐款，还有一些未经证实的报道称，布雷纳德是潜在的希拉里政府一个高级职位的候选人。

The exchanges came two days after Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, claimed in his debate with Mrs Clinton that the Fed has been keeping short-term interest rates low to help the Obama administration and was sustaining a big, fat, ugly bubble in the stock market.

这一交锋的两天前，共和党总统候选人唐纳德•特朗普(Donald Trump)在与希拉里辩论期间声称，美联储将短期利率维持在低位是为了帮助奥巴马政府，并维持股市巨大、肥厚、肮脏的泡沫。

Ms Yellen has denied the Fed was doing anything to suit the White House’s political objectives.

耶伦否认美联储做了迎合白宫政治目标的任何事情。

Some analysts argue the Fed is vulnerable at a time of intense pressure from both sides of the partisan divide, however, with some lawmakers seeking to impose tighter legislative constraints on its policy freedoms.

一些分析师辩称，面对尖锐对立的两党双方的巨大压力，美联储地位脆弱，一些立法者希望对美联储的政策自由加大立法限制。

Mrs Yellen was testifying on regulatory matters to the House Committee on Financial Services. Mr Garrett asked: A Fed governor can be in direct negotiations with a political campaign looking for a future job and that is not a conflict as far as you’re concerned?

耶伦在就监管问题在众议院金融服务委员会(House Committee on Financial Services)作证时，加勒特问道：一位美联储理事可以同一个政治竞选阵营直接商谈，谋求一个未来的职位，难道这对您来说不是利益冲突吗？

His words referred to Ms Brainard, a former Treasury official who is often listed in media reports as a potential candidate to be Treasury secretary in a Clinton administration.

他的话指的是美国财政部前官员布雷纳德，媒体报道经常把她列为希拉里当选后美国财政部部长的潜在候选人。

Ms Yellen said: I would have to consult my counsel.

耶伦表示：我得咨询我的法律顾问。

I’m not aware that that’s a conflict, but I would . . . Then she was cut off by the committee chair.

我不了解这是否属于利益冲突，但我会……接着她被委员会主席打断。

Earlier, Ms Yellen said she had absolutely no awareness of Ms Brainard being in touch with the Clinton camp about a job.

早些时候，耶伦表示，她对于布雷纳德就一项职位与希拉里竞选阵营联系一事完全不知情。

Pressed on $2,700 in donations that Ms Brainard has made to Mrs Clinton’s campaign, the maximum permitted for individual contributions in an election cycle, Ms Yellen noted that the Hatch Act does not prohibit political contributions by Fed governors.

在被问及布雷纳德向希拉里竞选组织捐赠2700美元（这是个人在选举周期中可以捐出的最高款项）的问题时，耶伦指出，《哈奇法》(Hatch Act)没有禁止美联储理事做出政治捐赠。